Eastern Trails
Appalachian Trail and the Approach:
This is where you begin the grand Appalachian Trail and its a beautiful beginning. The Appalachian Approach trail begins at the Amocalola Falls State Park Visitors center and goes 8.5 miles to the Springer Mountain Appalachian Trailhead. I used the Alltrails map which I downloaded beforehand but the trail is well marked with signs and blue blazes. There is also a $5 entrance fee to the park.The trail winds around to the creek and you are met with 604 steps leading up to the top of the tallest cascading waterfall in the south. The falls are beautiful but hiking up a mile of stairs with a full pack wore me out and I began to question if I could make the approximately 17 mile trek. There is parking at the top of the falls if you wanted to skip that first mile. After the falls the trail leads through the foggy forest full of ferns, mushrooms, and snails. There are various camping spots we saw at the beginning of the trail which show up on the Alltrails map and you meet the trailhead for the Hike Inn loop trail which leads to an inn. I later looked into it and the Inn has a beautiful view with beds, showers, and family style meals.
The trail is mostly an uphil climb to Springer mountain but there are some downhills near the gaps. There were signs for two water stops along the way but I didn't check either of them out. As you approach Springer Mountain about a mile and a half before you reach it you'll come across Black Gap Shelter which has one of the water stops. Hike a little futher to the Springer Mountain terminus plaque. Just past "terminus" appeared to be another camground and a mile further a parking lot. These were also identified on the alltrails map.